WINNIPEG -- It’s been just over a year since the sale and use of recreational cannabis became legal in Canada, and a month from now, a new wave of products will hit store shelves.
Cannabis edibles, a product category encompassing both foods and beverages, pose a new set of challenges.
Manitoba’s Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority (LGCA) has a new program with the purpose of reminding the public that it’s important to keep edibles out of the hands of children and away from pets.
In a news release from the LGCA the “Know My Cannabis Limits” campaign is described as focusing on health and safety risks to the users of edibles and to people around them.
A key difference between smoking or vaping cannabis and consuming cannabis edibles is the way the body may react to the drug.
Kristianne Dechant is the LGCA’s Executive Director and CEO.
She said her agency’s messages are intended to help Manitobans understand and manage the risks of using cannabis in any form.
“We know Manitobans are concerned about the new food and beverage products. For example, cannabis edibles that look similar in appearance may contain very different amounts of THC.
"And unlike smoking or vaping cannabis, edibles can take up to two hours for people to feel intoxicating effects, which may lead to over-consumption due to this ‘lag’ effect,” Dechant said.
The campaign will be conducted in English and French and will run across the province via a mix of digital and social media and various forms of outdoor advertising.
